V19, N16 Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013 Gauging Pence’s first year, and next Fledgling governor faces comparisons as he heads into his second year By BRIAN A. HOWEY NASHVILLE, Ind. – As Indiana Gov. Mike Pence stands at the threshold of his second year in office, he is dogged by two comparisons, with himself and his predecessor, Mitch Daniels. The contrasts will vividly come to the fore in 2014 with ramifications that potentially will extend far beyond his first foray into execu- tive power. The echoes of his own past career of public service include his oft stated self-de- scription: “I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order.” Yet his emergence into the gubernatorial sphere finds Pence at odds with his own historic mission. Long seen Yet, he is set to watch his state enter perhaps as a champion of the social conservative movement, he the most divisive chapter in its modern history when it has sought separation during his 2012 campaign and his comes to a likely referendum on HJR-6, the constitutional first year in office, persistently saying his priorities are jobs marriage amendment. The wink and a nod opt-in by Gov. and education. Continued on page 3 Rhetorical GOP shift in DC By BRIAN A. HOWEY BLOOMINGTON – When it came to the Ryan/ Murray budget that passed the House last week and the Senate on Tuesday, what was striking was not what a baby step the package was, but the shift in the rhetoric. “‘No’ can’t always be the answer,” Rep. Luke Messer, a Republican from “What this session will probably Shelbyville who had opposed be is a learning session. We will the October deal, told Gannett News Service. “Reality is that all encourage local government we have a Democratic president to be part of the solution and that and a Democratic-led Senate. Given that reality, this is a solid may be difficult but it’s a neces- deal. And virtually everyone agrees we don’t need another sity.” government shutdown.” - State Sen. Jim Merritt, Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Howe, said last week, “While on the business tax repeal Page 2 this bipartisan agreement isn’t perfect, shutdown debacle. I know why House it stops President Obama’s dangerous Republicans did what they did. But it habit of governing from one budget was a bitter pill to swallow.” crisis to the next. Each of the Presi- The Ryan/Murray budget dent’s manufactured crises brought would restore $63 billion to defense new calls for more taxes and higher and domestic programs that were spending and that’s exactly what I’m lost during sequester. The New York working to prevent.” Times reported Tuesday that over 10 For Rep. Susan Brooks, it years the plan would decrease cu- was constituents repeatedly telling mulative deficits slightly by trimming is a non-partisan newslet- her “the political uncertainty coming military and federal worker pensions, ter based in Indianapolis and from Washington makes planning for extending a 2 percent cut to Medicare Nashville, Ind. It was founded their own futures increasingly dif- providers into next decade and mak- in 1994 in Fort Wayne. ficult. That’s why it’s so important for ing other changes, like ending federal Congress to reach a budget deal that research for some fossil-fuel discovery It is published by provides much-needed stability for efforts. WWWHowey Media, LLC businesses and fami- Coats 405 Massachusetts Ave., lies trying to improve wouldn’t call it a Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN their standing in a “baby step.” 46204 tough economy.” “It’s basically For Rep. calling a truce,” Todd Young, it was the senator said. Brian A. Howey, Publisher “a good first step.” “The deficit re- Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington For Rep. Todd Rokita, duction in there Jack E. Howey, Editor it was a “step in the comes in 2022 Mary Lou Howey, Editor right direction.” Rep. and 2023. The Jackie Walorski rea- spending comes Maureen Hayden, Statehouse soned “Hoosiers sit immediately. Matthew Butler, Daily Wire around their kitchen Congress has a tables and make way of not get- Subscriptions tough choices to U.S. Rep. Luke Messer said the ting to the cuts HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 keep a budget, and GOP can no longer just be the made years ago.” they expect Washing- party of “no.” In a state- HPI Weekly, $350 ton to do the same.” ment earlier Ray Volpe, Account Manager Of that group, Brooks and Tuesday, Coats said, “While I recog- 317.602.3620 Young were the only two votes against nize the short-term stability this bud- email: [email protected] a national default last October after get deal offers, I could not overcome the federal government shut down for the fact that this plan once again 16 days. allows Congress and the administra- Contact HPI The reality is, the government tion to avoid the tough choices we www.howeypolitics.com shutdown was a political disaster for must make to stabilize our long-term [email protected] the House Republicans. What saved fiscal future. I will remain committed Howey’s Cabin: 812.988.6520 them from it becoming an epic disas- to working with my colleagues to ad- Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 ter was the tortured rollout of Obam- dress this challenge.” acare. Those “tough choices” are Washington: 202.256.5822 U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, who entitlement reform. Coats said that Business Office: 317.602.3620 voted against the budget on Tues- President Obama and Senate Demo- day, cited the shutdown as a game- crats are unwilling to look at any © 2013, Howey Politics Indiana. changer for his House colleagues. “I means testing or benefit reductions. All rights reserved. Photocopy- think that goes to the reality we’re “We put our last offer on facing that crisis to crisis and shut- the table with his minimalist entitle- ing, Internet forwarding, fax- down to shutdown is not the solution,” ment reform changes,” Coats said of ing or reproducing in any form, Coats told Howey Politics Indiana just President Obama. “It was a change whole or part, is a violation of before his nay vote. “I understand in cost of living adjustment of Social federal law without permission what (Paul) Ryan was trying to do. Security. There were some changes from the publisher. There was very little leverage after the in the Medicare program. He even re- Page 3 jected his own proposal. It proves his budget health care. There are jobs at both last February was just a sham.” ends of the scale.” “We asked, ‘Could you at least do The reality facing House Repub- this?’ He said, ‘Without tax increase, no.’” licans is that continued fights that lead As for the shift of House Republi- to shutdowns or potential default only cans, this could be a strategic pattern devel- play into the narrative against them. oping. The New York Times reported “Watch the Ways and Means Commit- on Monday that 2014 campaigns are tee in the first quarter of next year,” Chairman shifting: This time they have shelved Ryan said in an interview that aired Sunday their incendiary remarks about Presi- on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” dent Obama and the national debt “We’re going to be advancing tax re- in favor of a narrower focus on the form legislation because we think that’s a key Affordable Care Act, which they hope ingredient to getting people back to work, will attract moderate voters from both to increasing take-home pay, to growing this parties, even in heavily Democratic economy,” Ryan said. Sen. Coats said the House districts, who are disenchanted with HPI asked Stutzman if he was hear- its rollout. The campaigns, if success- ing from constituents that Congress needed GOP had little options after the ful, could be an indication of change in to get things done. “The Republican Party shutdown. some corners of the Republican Party has to figure out something on immigration,” as many former firebrands mellow Stutzman said. “It impacts agriculture, medical devices, their messages. v eyes will be affixed to the Hoosier state as it grapples with Pence, from page 1 a power struggle between the the 20 percent far right and left political spectrums, and the evolution of the emerg- Pence and his social conservative allies in the Indiana ing millennial voters that are turning away from President Senate and House is to “let the people decide” on whether Obama. At this very moment the voting bloc of the future marriage should be not only between one man and one will find the reinforcing element of an intolerant Republi- woman, but with a permanent road block to prevent any can wing prepared to double down, with consequences be type of civil union. That comes with the troubling second damned. sentence. It comes as public attitudes on the marriage The political consequences for Gov. Pence and question have quickly and sharply evolved into a far more Indiana Republicans are potentially enormous. In a mid- tolerant zone, not only across the United States but within term election that normally would see voter turnout in the Indiana as well. upper 20 to lower 30th percentile, it will instead find the The notion that the “people will decide” ignores ideological bookends fully engaged with consequences that the lessons from the 2012 U.S. Senate race in Indiana, could impact the reelection bid of U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski where Richard Lugar, Richard Mourdock and Joe Donnelly and suburban legislative Republicans. It has the potential essentially lost control of their campaigns, as more than to crystallize an opposition front to the Pence 2016 reelec- $30 million of national money spilled into the state from an tion bid, with informed and reliable sources telling Howey array of special interest groups.